Design, Data Science, And The Algorithms That Run Our Lives

We encounter algorithms every day in many different experiences — from YouTube to Facebook to Uber. Personalization and individualization (impossible to do without algorithms) are hailed as keys to the experiences of the future and form the centerpiece of the very best and most seamless experiences. And computing capabilities and services make this more common and technically simpler every day.

Creating these experiences isn’t easy. The perils of bias and consumer mistrust lurk in plain sight. And there’s the dirty secret of how easy it is to slip into creating useless products no customers will use.

How can we avoid these pitfalls and capitalize on the potential benefits of algorithms?

The quest for data-driven decisions alone falls short. Instead, it’s about recognizing that different kinds of participants bring wildly different — and necessary — skills to the table.

Short-circuiting proven design methods is naive. Instead, it’s about building prototypes, doing exploratory research, and following all the tenets of human-centered design.

I’ll dig into these challenges in more detail from the mainstage at Forrester’s CX SF 2018 on the morning of October 3, along with several other Forrester analysts and a great lineup of industry speakers — including Charles Schwab EVP and Chief Digital Officer Neesha Hathi and HelloFresh Senior Director Of Personalization Sebastian Reichelt. Check out specifics about the event here — and I hope to see you there!